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There are many massage styles and although an experienced therapist should be able to adapt any treatment to meet the needs of their client, some techniques may be more suitable than others. A good massage therapist continues to increase their knowledge by taking courses and workshops during the year to improve their skills and stay up to date with current trends by relearning skills, incorporating new ideas and methods. There are a wide variety of massage styles and these can be used along with massage accessories to help relive physical pain and discomfort such as a TENS unit, hot stone massages, warming pads and rollers….
Oriental Massage
Tui Na: This deep vigorous massage enjoys the same status in China as acupuncture. It aims to prevent and treat diseases of the mind, emotions and spirit, as well as the body. Practitioners manipulate the muscles, joints and work to re-balance qi levels in order to restore health. Thai Massage: In this whole body strategy, pressure is applied to stimulate energy flow. Energy lines are called sen lines and this type of massage benefits both the giver and receiver. Thai massage is a very energetic style of massage Indian Head Massage: One of the oldest known therapies, this has been used in India for nearly 4,000 years. Massaging the head is a wonderful release for any mental or emotional stress. If you are looking for the best massage tables for sale, click here Manual Lymphatic Drainage: (MLD) Developed over 50 years ago by Dr Emil Vodder, this uses specialist techniques to stimulate and re-balance the lymphatic system, which carries waste out of the body and fights illness. MLD uses a gentle, relaxing pumping action to stimulate the flow of the lymph fluid which may have accumulated as a result of illness, injury or poor diet. Hydrothermic massage: In this form of massage, the client floats on pillows of warm water heated at 35°C (95°F) and remains face up throughout the massage. Stress therapy: On site massage This involves working over the clothes, often in an office environment, with the client sitting at a desk with the head on a pillow. Click here to see the most popular hot stone massage kits As you can see, there are many varieties of massage techniques available to treat physical issues. One style may be more suitable and achieve better results for that particular client, which is why it can be useful to learn a few different styles. Plus it makes the work more interesting for you as you deepen your knowledge. Many of these techniques have an ancient history and a proven record of effectiveness such as the Ayurvedic system, Reiki and Reflexology, with knowledge carefully passed down through the years. If you can learn a variety of massage styles and techniques, you have a portable life skill at your finger tips to take anywhere and make a difference in peoples lives to relieve pain, bring peace and comfort, ease anxiety and even bring peace towards the end of a persons life. If you are looking to start your own mobile massage business, here is a great place to start with plenty of handy tips 
Western Styles Of Massage
Massage Techniques Conclusion
I didn’t know there were so many different styles of massages. I’ve always been curious about how the hot stone massage works though. Do they just use the hot stones, or do they also do things with their hands?
Hi Sarah,
thanks for commenting and asking…! Its actually a great thought as you are probably not the first to ask it. There are many different styles of massage and each has its individual niche to help people whether its sports massage, Swedish massage or relaxation massage for example, or even massage combined with kiniesiology. Which type depends on your needs at the time.
Hot stone massages are deliciously relaxing as the warming heat of the stones penetrates deeply into stiff, tight and sore muscles over a longer period of time. You can work the hot stones over the muscle groups, or leave them to work their magic in one place. As you work, your hands and intuition will tell you what your clients body needs. You can continue on to massage other areas of the body in the meantime.
Best,
Claire